Nam joined A Step Ahead Chattanooga as the Operations Manager in late 2020. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science with a minor in International Studies from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee, and holds a Master of Social Work with a concentration on Domestic Social and Economic Development and specializations in Management and Policy at Washington University in St. Louis.

As a Vietnamese refugee, Nam’s experiences shaped her to pursue a vocation where she can work with communities to leverage power and policy to build capacity for empowerment. She is a Certified Nonprofit Professional with over 10 years of demonstrated commitment to supporting the nonprofit community. In 2013, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in China. After her time in the Peace Corps, she provided case management to support youth and families at risk of placement disruption in southern California. She then worked with adults with behavioral health conditions to assist with academic advising and re-entry into the community after inpatient/residential treatment. While in St. Louis, Nam provided organizational capacity building and management to nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, and government partners to make successful neighborhood revitalization possible.

As a Chattanooga native, Nam is excited to be home again. In her free time, she enjoys walking her wolf-dog, stitching on her embroidery projects, and growing her 100+ indoor jungle plants.